Stitching together a new picture of spiritual gifts

Tuesday

Jun 18, 2013 at 12:01 AMJun 18, 2013 at 5:00 PM

A few weeks ago I asked my readers to start talking about their gifts and talents. I wanted to get a sense for how God was working through us to share his love and his peace. And, I wanted people to be honest about what made them hide their gifts. Thankfully, several people opened their […]

simplyfaithful

A few weeks ago I asked my readers to start talking about their gifts and talents. I wanted to get a sense for how God was working through us to share his love and his peace. And, I wanted people to be honest about what made them hide their gifts.

Thankfully, several people opened their hearts and are willing to share their stories. Today, we have the gift of hearing Shelia Bacon’s story…

Twenty five years ago I started to teach quilting. Many times I have struggled to do so but I have always considered quilting my “gift” from God.

When I took my very first hand quilting class I fell in love with it. I knew immediately I wanted to “share” quilting because it was a way of remembering the past. As a “tool of God’s” I have been used to link the past, the present and the future.

What I had to “overcome” was my lack of “self confidence and/self esteem.” I am not a teacher, I never had any formal training. Others were/are better than I am but I have always felt this was a “gift” and I wanted to share it.

The other thing I had to “overcome” was when I could no longer quilt by hand. I then had to make a choice – in order to keep teaching quilting I had to learn machine quilting well enough so I could keep teaching. This was a definite fork in the road and a very big challenge but I felt in my heart this again was God’s leading.

My students have taught me so much about life, love and laughter. Sometimes I think they have taught me much more than I have taught them. It has been worth every moment I have spent preparing a class and wondering if I can really teach others how to quilt. Also, along the way I have taught people how to knit, crochet, needlepoint and tatting and - whatever else God wants me to ”share” with them.

Since, I now have a group of friends that quilt we get together and make quilts for people with cancer and send them to various hospital in the area.

Whatever “gift” God has given you - use it, share it – then your “gift” will bless others.

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